Dr Samantha Calvertis the go to woman for the history of everything vegan and vegetarian. We know she will disagree however she is amazeballs and we are thrilled that she is taking time to share her wonderful knowledge with us.

Samantha Calvert is a freelance marketing and PR consultant with over 20 years’ experience in marketing and communications gained mostly, although not entirely, in the not-for-profit.

Sam’s past ‘in-house’ roles, including as Head of Public Affairs at the Vegetarian Society, have encompassed marketing, public relations, media relations, communications, publications, event and campaign planning as well as elements of fundraising, political relations and youth education campaigns. Her current PR clients include theOxford Centre for Animal Ethics. Past clients have included The Vegan Society, a central London vegetarian restaurant and an alcohol free drinks company.

Sam completed a part-time PhD in 2013 at the University of Birmingham in Christianity and vegetarianism. She is an Associate Fellow of the Oxford Centre for Animal Ethics (AFOCAE). Sam is the author of a book about vegetarianism for children and several published academic papers on the relationship between Christianity and the modern vegetarian movement and she has also authored several encyclopedia entries on vegetarianism.

Sam was The Vegan Society’s researcher-in-residence in 2013-14. She researched a short history of The Vegan Society ahead of its seventieth anniversary which can be downloaded free of charge here.

Sam has been vegetarian for over 30 years and vegan for the last 20. She has a passion for the vegetarian diet and lifestyle and a professional connection with the movement for over 20 years.

As well as an enthusiasm for the vegetarian and vegan movements’ past she is also interested in their future. Sam is flattered to have been given a platform to share her thoughts as a Veggievision blogger and hopes that they don’t prove to be very dull indeed!